


With Magic or Without

by russian_blue



Category: Tokyo Babylon
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-01
Updated: 2011-08-01
Packaged: 2017-10-22 01:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/232423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/russian_blue/pseuds/russian_blue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hokuto has Opinions about her brother and Seishiro.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With Magic or Without

**Author's Note:**

  * For [misura](https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/gifts).



Folded strips of paper fluttered in a phantom breeze. The smoke curling up from the incense in the middle of the circle was untouched; it formed lazy shapes in the air, faded, vanished. No sound disrupted the steady chant: _om sanmaji handomei kiriku. Om sanmaji handomei kiriku._

Until an impatient whisper burst out from the corner. "You could do this yourself, Sei-chan! Don't tell me a simple ghost is a problem for you. I'm not so easily fooled; I know you don't need Subaru's help."

"Shhhhh, Hokuto-chan. We don't want to distract him."

Hokuto glared at Seishiro, then put her nose in the air, radiating offended pride. She busied herself straightening the pleats of her skirt, pointedly ignoring Seishiro. Today it was a chrysanthemum outfit, bright gold and cheerful. Subaru had refused to wear his coordinating outfit while he performed the exorcism; he said it would be rude to the ghost, showing so much joy in life while he worked to send the spirit to its rest. Always considerate; that was her twin.

But he could at least have put on his ceremonial robes instead. They weren't exactly the height of fashion, but they were stylish in their own way, and Subaru looked good in them. He really needed to think about these things more.

 _Om sanmaji handomei kiriku. Om sanmaji handomei kiriku._ Nothing could distract Subaru; an entire pop band could conduct rehearsal in the opposite corner and her brother would keep chanting. Forgetting that she was ignoring Seishiro, Hokuto leaned over again and said, "You did this on purpose, didn't you. Asking Subaru for help." She flopped one hand against her forehead, palm out, miming a faint. "Oh no! There's a ghost in my apartment! Save me, Subaru!"

Seishiro winked conspiratorially at her. "You've seen right through my plan, Hokuto-chan."

"Sei-chan, damsel in distress," Hokuto said, giggling, and then laughed even harder when he put one hand to his cheek, miming the dreamy look of a maiden awaiting rescue. He waved her to silence again, and she cooperated, not wanting to give the game away.

A sudden gust of real wind through Seishiro's living room announced the ghost's departure. That, or it had just turned angry and was about to try and destroy everything -- but Subaru opened his eyes, bowed, and clapped his hands, a sad little smile on his face. Another soul, released.

Hokuto bounced to her feet. "I knew you wouldn't have any trouble! Now, Subaru, you haven't had any dinner, but that's okay; Sei-chan has offered to cook."

"That's right," Seishiro agreed, smooth as if he actually had offered. "I won't be as good as Hokuto-chan, I fear, but it's the least I can do for your help."

Subaru was already clearing away his tools. He waved a hand at Seishiro, bowing in apology. "Oh no, no, that isn't necessary --"

"Necessary?" Seishiro laughed. "It's a pleasure! Not to mention insurance against the future," he added, as if in a confidential aside. "If I don't feed you, Hokuto-chan will think I'm neglectful. And I want my future sister-in-law on my side! She can be scary, you know."

"I certainly can!" Hokuto planted her feet widely, fists on her hips. Had there been any justice in the world, a fanfare would have played just then.

Her twin, predictably, began to stutter the instant the word "sister-in-law" left Seishiro's mouth. Actually, Hokuto thought it had begun even earlier. They performed this routine often enough, after all; it wasn't like Subaru couldn't guess where it was going.

Taking pity on her brother, Hokuto went to help clean up, while Seishiro vanished into the kitchen. "You spend all your time caring for other people," she chided him; that, too, was a constant refrain. "Is it so bad to let other people care for you occasionally?"

Subaru wouldn't meet her eyes as he extinguished the incense. "It's my job, Hokuto-chan. I wouldn't expect some stranger to cook dinner for me just because I helped them; Seishiro-san shouldn't have to, either."

She whapped him gently on the head with one of the _gohei_ , not caring if it was disrespectful. "Dummy. He doesn't _have_ to. He _wants_ to. And he's not a stranger; he's your future one true love!"

"H-Hokuto-chan --"

"So tell me about the ghost," she said, ignoring his renewed stutter. This was her newest tactic: push the idea, and then just as soon as he pushed back, change the subject. If he never really got a chance to argue, then he couldn't win the debate, could he? "It seemed to go pretty quickly."

Subaru nodded. Was that a hint of suspicion she saw in his eyes? No, "suspicion" was too serious a word for it -- but he could guess she was up to something, letting the issue of Seishiro drop so quickly. "It was a woman. There was this man --"

"Did he spurn her?" Hokuto asked, unable to keep a cynical note out of her voice. Subaru had dealt with far too many of those.

But her twin shook his head. "No, nothing like that. They were good friends."

"Then he died?" Subaru shook his head again. "She was already married." Still off-target. "The guy turned out to be an oni?" He laughed. "Then what on earth was keeping her here???"

"A secret," Subaru said. "One she was keeping even from herself. She kept telling me about what a good friend he was, how they used to meet for lunch every day, and walk in the park . . . but she could never bring herself to admit that she loved him. Not even in her own thoughts."

"She was probably afraid he wouldn't love her back."

Hokuto jumped in startlement. The sizzling from the kitchen had covered the sound of Seishiro coming to listen. He leaned against the door jamb, an elegant slouch totally at odds with his bright, flowered apron.

A shy smile touched Subaru's lips. "She was. But listening to the stories she told -- it was obvious that he did. She just couldn't see it. Once I got her to admit she loved him, the rest was easy."

Seishiro's quiet reply just barely carried over the noise from the kitchen. "You really are adorable, Subaru-kun."

Hokuto held her breath. Her brother flushed and looked down, busying himself with tidying the last bits away. Did he even realize -- no, of course not; no more than that poor dead woman had. He couldn't admit it to himself, not yet. But for a moment there, when he was talking, and then he saw Seishiro in the kitchen doorway . . . .

For just an instant, she had seen him _want_ something.

Only an instant. But the spark, however brief, gave her hope. After all the things surrendered in the name of his duty, Subaru might -- just might -- have found something too special to give up. Something for _himself_ , not for the Sumeragi, and all the poor lost souls of Tokyo.

He wasn't ready to admit it yet, though. Hokuto bounded to her feet and over to Subaru, putting her face next to her twin's, like two peas in a pod. "Of course he's adorable! I've worked hard to make sure of it. But it would be better if he'd kept the chrysanthemum outfit on . . . ."

Hokuto might not be able to work magic, but this was a spell of her own making: cheerful, distracting chatter, comforting even as it put Subaru off-balance, as much a ritual as the exorcism he'd just performed. With Seishiro's help, she kept it up all the time the food was cooking, all through dinner, until it was time for them to go home -- but always, always, her attention was on her twin. His shy blushes every time Seishiro smiled at him, his embarrassed reluctance to accept anything from the man, and underneath it all, the secret he could not yet admit, even in his own mind.

But he would, in time. Hokuto smiled to herself, and went on working her spell.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this is what you were looking for! "Level of Hokuto involvement completely optional" somehow turned into "Hokuto point of view" somewhere during the process, but hopefully it has enough Subaru and Seishiro to please you.
> 
> A [gohei](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gohei) is a wooden wand with two paper streamers, used in Shinto rituals.


End file.
